Instep-arch support.



NQ.880,245. PATENTED FEB.- 25, 1908.

' W. M. SCHOLL.

INSTEP ARGH SUPPORT.

APPLIOATIONI'ILED 00T. 21, 1907.

afford adequate su UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM M soHoLL, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INSTEP-iiROH SUPPORT.

No. 880,245. v

Improvements in Instep-Arch Supports, of.

which the followin is a specification.

My invention're ates to improvements in instep `arch supports forinsertion in foot wear, and has for its general object to provide aninstep arch support of such character as to port to the instep arch ofthe foot, but at al times yieldingly, so as to oppose no painfully harshresistance to the pressure of that portion of the foo.t.

A further Object ofmyinvention is to rovide a device of the characterdescribed which will substantially affect'only the inner area'of thearch most apt to bebroken down and displaced, and will leave fre'efrompressure the` outer margin of the arch, which from its coniigurationand physical structure is not apt to become injured or broken down.

Anot er object of m invention is to pro- `vide a device of the c aracterdescribed of construction simple and easy of manufacture, but efficientand practical in operation; and other and further ob'ects will bestbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wnerein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation from the inside edge, of a supportembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a bottoni plan view thereof; Fi 3 is alo" itudinal section on line 3 3 of ig. 2, and, `ig. 4 is a transversesection on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Thron hout said severalfigureslikenumerals of reierence refer always tolike parts.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide in general a resilientmetallic arch lorm to the longitudinalA arch of the .instep which itunderlies, a metallic spring plate,

bowed or curved upward to less de ree than the arch plate, secured infixed' re ation' to the arch plate at its rear end, and at its front endextending beyond the arch late, t o receive the forward extremityv of te arch piste in sliding contact on its upper surface, and a cover pieceof leather or other flexible i material, shaped to lit within the shankand heel portions of a shoe, overlying' the arch plate and securedthereto. Preferably the spring plate at its rear. end'as well as at itsSpecification vof Letters atent. 'Application med october 21.1907.serial No. 398,516.

' and, While the width of the late longitudinally curved or arched tocon` Patented Feb. 25,

front end extends beyond the `arch plate so that the arch. plate hasbearing at both ends at points located on the curve of the' springplate, and elevated abovel the extremitiesof the spring plate. l

Inthe specilic construction 'illustrated 10 indicates the arch plate,longitudinally curved to conform with the longitudinal,

curve of the normal arch of the instep and transversely of shape andcurvature to un- Vderlie and interit with the longitudinal andtransverse curves of the inside of the arch;

late may be varied, I prefer that it shallp be approximately of. suchwidth as to underlie the three inner metatarsal bones, and the inner andmiddle cuneiform bones, so .giving Support to the scaphoid and theastragalus, and leaving free of its support the outer metatarsals andthe outer cuneiform bone.

] 1 indicates' the spring plate, bowed up- Ward in a longitudinal lineto a'less extent than the arch of plate 10, and preferably of lengthgreater than that of the arch plate,- sothat'the spring plate extendsout beyond the arch plate at its .rear end, and also at its front end,and receives both ends of said arch plate on its curving portions. Ingeneral I prefer that the spring plate shall provide a central narrowneck 12, having its side edges upturned as at 12for strength, andjoining end portions 13 and 14` of lgreater Width, the l front endportion 13 being considerably 'widened to present a substantial bear'insurfacef'to Vthe inner surface of the shoe, an

slightly' curled up at its front end, as indicatedat 13 to preventcutting of the interior of the shoe. Whenpositioned in the shoe, the end13 of the spring plate lies at about the middle of the transversedimensionr of the shoe and just in front of the shank. The rearenlargement Mis' preferably so shaped and positioned' as to extend toapproximately the center ofthe heel, to underlie and support the oscalsis, and is secured at a suitable dis'- tance from its end to'substantially -the ex.

tremity of the arch plate, by two rivets 15 'and15 arranged side yside.The front ends of the A-arch and spring plates are free with respect toeachother, and the arch plate` bears on the upper surface of thc Springplate for free sliding movement relative thereto, the extent ofprojection ofthe spring plate beyond the end of the arch plate eingpreferably sufficient to permit the arch plate to Substantially flattenout Without vinterfel'- to approxi tioned to substantially eIlice' fromor'leaving. contact with the spring ate. p 1 6 indicates a cover pieceof leather, shaped 'v iate conformity with the interior of vthe heel andsha-'nk of a shoe, and proporfll such portions of the .shoe forconvenient retention therein, such cover piece being preferably skivcdalon'g the edge of its upturned side portions and along' its front edge,and permanently secured to the arch the rivet l5., (whichfalso serves toretain the arch and spring plate togethcr,) and by a second rivet1'7.suitably positioned adjacent the front end of the arch plate.

f In operation itWill be understood the d'evice is inserted bodily inthe shoeand, beingv sold of course in size approximate to the across theshoe.

spring,

' respect to-the spring plate,

moving longitudinally with respect to the spring plate inslidingrelation thereto. It will also be apparent that the spring plate itselfis capable of depression and serves as an auxiliary spring, movinglongitudinally however, rto a much less extent-than the arc i carried,near its ends and not at its point of highest curvature. Furthercurvature of the bearing surface presented by the spring plate for thearch.' plate facilitates the sliding movements of the latter.

Practical experience has demonstrated that an arch su .port thus.constructed effectively prevents reaking down of the arch of theinstep, and has a very appreciable effect toward restoring'and reforming)a broken down arch. It is, however, sufficiently elastic andl adaptablein its movements to conform readily to thefoot of the user, and in usea' very comfortable and easy .arch supporter or stay.

While I have herein described in some detail aspecific embodiment of myinvention f which I have practically employed and found spirit and scopeof my invention.

advantageous', it will be understood that l do not desire to limitmyself to the exact details' of .construction 'and contour furtherthanas specified in the claims, numerous changes in detail might be madeby those skilled in the art without departure from the plate at its rearend byy and its front edge as the Weight of the arch spring is.

' esas/it Having thus described my invention, What l claim. and desireto secure by Lettersy l-at-v ent, is,

l. As an article of manufacture, an instep arch supporter for insertioninfoot Wear, come prising an arch plate longitudinally curved owed toless degree yinstep, a spring plate secured to said arch ,than the archplate,

plate at its rear tending beyond the arch plate and receiving the frontedge of the latter in free sliding and secured tothe plate structure anof a shoe.

2. As an article of manufacture, an instep arch supporter 'for insertionin foot Wear, comprising a bowed spring plate, an over-v lying archplate, longitudinally curved to conform to the normal longitudinal archof the instep, and transversely shaped to conform to the inside of theinstep arch', and terminating at itsbuter ed e near of the transversearch of t e foot, said arch plate being secured'to the spring plate atits rear end and front end,'and a flexible to the plates, and shapedheel and shank of a shoe. y

3. In an instep arch supporter,l for inser tion in and removal fromfoo`t-vve ar, the

nally curved toconform to the arch of the instep, degree nected to thearch plate at its rear end, and at its front lhatter in free slidingrelation thereto, Where-- Y extent upon the spring plate by pressureapplied to said arch, while the spring plate receives the pressure ofthe arch plate at its forward end at a point elevated by the bowing ofthe spring plate.

4. As an article of manufacture, an instep arch supporter for insertion.in foot-Wear, comprising al leather cover piece shaped to fit the shankand heel of a shoe, a lon itudinally curved arch platepositioned by t ecover piece and shaped to conform .to the attached to said arch plate atone end only,

being shaped to afford a relatively bearing edge at its front end, and aearing 5. ln an instep arch supporter, the;v l bination of a 'springplate, y. an arci overlying" said spring'z thereon, "and aic'overpefcend, and: at its front end ex-' contact, and a' flexible cover pieceoverlying shapedl for comformity to the rear portions@ free from andcontacting withsaid spring plate for sliding movement at 'its "ff coverpiece secured to conform to tf'icfV and a spring plate, bowed to lessu'than the arch plate, and flexibly con-'f'` about centrally ofthe heel atits' V rear end.:

to conform to the longitudinal arch of thecombination of an arched platelongitudiend extending beyond the arch plate and receiving the frontedge ofthe the arch plate may be straightened to an v inner-side of aninstep arch, and a bovve'dl 12o sliding relation thereto, said springlplate Wide arch plate, e rivet joining the cover piece, arch plate andspring plate neer the heel, a Leeond rivet ,connecting the spring andarch only near the heel, and a third rivet meeting the arch plate Aandcover piece y neer their front end7 whereby the cover is secured to thearch plate near both in. the letter, and the arch plate is seto thespring plate near its rear end only and free for sliding movement on the10 spring plate at its front end.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM M. soHoLL.

in` the presence of'- FORE BAiN, MARY E. ALLEN.

